28th March 1908

• Armenians in Turkey. “At Van on the 23rd inst., an Armenian revolutonary attacked the house of an Armenian informer… The assailant fired several shots at the house and wounded the informer, whereupon the Bashi-Bozouks, incited by the gendarmes, fell indiscrimately upon the Armenians, of whom they killed 33 and wounded eight.”
• Royal news. Thankfully the King has got over his indisposition. “King Edward, who was yesterday suffering from a slight cold, is better to-day… Taking advantage of the sunny weather, King Edward went for a motor drive this afternoon, and on reaching the Cote des Basques alighted from the car and walked for some distance.”
• Russian honour. “It is announced that Generals Fock and Reiss have been asked to retire from the service. The latter has consented, but General Fock has declined to do so for reasons of discipline, pending the inquiry into his duel with General Smirnoff.”

27th March 2008

• Royal Intelligence. You just don’t get royal coverage like this any more: “The King has a slight cold, and did not leave his apartments in Biarritz yesterday. In the evening his majesty gave a dinner-party. The Prince of Wales yesterday morning inspected at Cologne the Cuirassiers of which he is Colonel-in-Chief, afterwards had lunch with the officers, and in the evening entertained them at dinner in his hotel. King Victor Emmanuel yesterday twice visited the German Emperor on board the yacht Hohenzollern…”

• Canada. Further to our Canadian racism theme: ” ‘Sam’ Gothard and other members of the Asiatic Exclusion League … are trying to form a rival league which will be affliated to the Exclusion League of North America … The Toronto Globe, commenting on homicides by foreigners, calls on the Government to close the gates on the offscourings of Slav and Latin races.”

15th January 1908

• Canada and the Japanese question. – As The Times reports: “The Vancouver City Council desires to disarm the Japanese and has asked the city solicitor whether the authorities are legally empowered to do so. As the solicitor is one of the leaders of the anti-Japanese agitation, his reply is likely to be in the affirmative.” It goes on to say: “Alderman McMillan declared … that the Japanese had formed a perfect military organization in Vancouver.” – I don’t know, seems a little paranoid: – I’ll have to research this story a little more.

14th January 1908

• Luminous birds. – There’s a letter in The Times today from a Mr H D Rawnsley on the subject of luminous birds. This is in response to Sir Digby Pigott’s letters of Dec 20th & 26th regarding his luminous owl (”With so many more important matters clamouring for a hearing, I am almost ashamed to ask you to find room again for my luminous owl…” etc / sadly I cannot find the original account from the 20th). Sir Digby Pigott had already adduced corroboration for his luminous owl from some local fisherman, viz. “On December 12 several of us fisherman were standing on the Wells-bar between 2 o’clock and 6. It was a very dark morning. At 4 we were all surprised to find something blowing about just like blue fire. Our mittens and our sou’westers were soon full; it hung to them like cobwebs, and some parts of it were very bright. I thought you would like to know about this, as it would be able the same time the luminous owl was seen.” – Another writer, who wished to remain anonymous, stated that luminous birds were well-known in his region of Shropshire and went by the name of the Glimullert (or, to give it its Latin name, the Strix flammea). – H D Rawnsley describes the encounter in the following terms: “It moved very quickly and appears to have leapt over hedges, and is described by some as “a dazzling light as large as a table lamp”. When seen at Skelton the light appeared to move in undulating curves, and not only went over hedges, but soared above the top of a fir plantation”. – More to follow on this story.
• North vs South football. – The Football Association have organised a North vs South match in Manchester on 27th Jan, as preparation for upcoming international fixtures against Belgium and Germany. The team-sheets already seem to be up. – This seems like an extraordinarily good idea to me, and we should bring it back.
• Ethiopia / Eritrea. – Border disputes and raiding between these two countries continues, though The Times seems confident that the Emperor Menelek II’s intentions are good and he will come to terms with the Italians. – Plus ca change.